Sep 06, 2012

I Am A Recovering Ideologue - Mike King

I am a recovering ideologue. Ideologues
often colonize environments and justify the use of dubious means to accomplish
results supporting their ideologies. Because of their passionate advocacy, they
are willing to throw people under the bus to
advance their causes. They are black and white in their thinking. You’re either
with them or against them. There is no middle ground. They see categories, not
people. They guard against looking into the faces of real people, knowing that
might shed light on the hypocrisy of their ideological dogmas.

If you think I’m talking about
someone you radically disagree with, you just might be an ideologue. Perhaps a
little self-reflection is in order.

We must ask ourselves, In what ways am I willing to twist a
theological position just to advance a cause I believe in? We must learn to
read Scripture over and against ourselves instead of assuming the warnings are
always directed at the other and not ourselves.

Having come out of a conservative
background (both politically and theologically), Ironically, I find it hard not
to be dismissive of the people who are like the person I used to be. My world is
more expansive now. As my world of relationships has expanded, I naively
assumed political and theological liberals would be kinder and more
progressive. However, I’ve learned that all ideologues are the same. They want
their way. They’re right; you’re wrong. If you think differently, you’re an
enemy. They label and dismiss those who don’t agree with their positions. ...